Yarn furnishing means for knitting machines



Jan. 2", 1968 N. LEWN 3,361,317

YARN FURNISHING MEANS FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 11, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet l YARN FURNISHING MEANS FOR KNITTING MACHINES N. LEVIN Jan. 2, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 11, 1965 INVENTOR Lwiw N. LEVIN YARN FURNISHING MEANS FOR KNITTING MACHINES J an.2,l968

3 Sheets-Sheet Filed Jan. 11, 1965 A IIIV/ //2 INVENTOR.

ollllll'llll United States Patent 3,361,317 YARN FURNISHING MEANS FDR KNITTING MACHINES Nathan Levin, 722 Edgewood Ave., Trenton, NJ. 08618 Filed Jan. 11, 1965, Ser. No. 424,775 Claims. (Cl. 226-188) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Rotary type yarn feeding apparatus for the measured furnishing of a plurality of yarns under predetermined tension (a predetermined rate of yarn travel) to multifeed rotary circular knitting machines. The apparatus comprising a plurality of vertically disposed rollers rotatably supported by and circumferentially spaced about said machine, a drive pulley atop each of said rollers and an endless drive belt driven by said machine in timed relation thereto with said belt trained over said pulleys to rotate the same and said rollers, the yarns being trained over and driven by the said rollers to draw the same from their cones and to furnish the same to the said machine. The combination with rotary type of yarn feeding apparatus, of safety means which, when undesirable slack develops in individual ones of the fed yarns, applies auxiliary tension to such yarn or yarns by means of an air stream to prevent undesirable back-feeding thereof into the said apparatus.

The present invention relates generally to the art of knitting and more particularly to improvements in positive yarn feeding or yarn furnishing means for circular knitting machines.

The several objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed descriptions of preferred embodiments thereof to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings showing the same, and from the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of portions of a multiple feed revolving cylinder and dial type of circular machine showing one form of the positive yarn feeding means of the present invention applied thereto and also showing means of the present invention applied to the machine by reason of which the yarns are each within a flow of air as they are discharged from the yarn feeding means.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view in plan of the machine and associated parts of FIG. 1 as taken on line 2-2 thereof.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of one of the positive yarn feed rollers of the present invention, a plurality thereof in circumferentially spaced relation being shown in FIGS. -1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view in plan of the yarn feed roller of FIG. 3 as taken on line 44 thereof.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing how the roller of FIG. 3 may be used to feed more than a single yarn.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the annular air tube or ring shown in FIG. 1 as taken through one of its yarn guides.

FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of a modified form of 3,361,317 Fatented Jan. 2, 1968 "ice yarn feeding means wherein a belt encircles and travels with an adjacent pair of rollers.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view in plan of the modification of FIG. 7 as taken on line 88 thereof.

FIG. 9 is a schematic view of a modified method of threading the yarns in a machine.

FIGS. 10 and 11 are views of an air controlling yarn unit.

A first form of the positive yarn feeding means and of the air flow means of the present invention are shown in FIGS. 1 through 6 wherein they are applied to a multiple feed revolving cylinder and dial type of circular knitting machine, although it will be understood that the invention are not limited thereto and may be used on any of the usual types of knitting machines.

As shown in FIG. 1, a driven bevel gear It) drives a large bevel ring gear 11 to rotate the needle cylinder within the cam ring 12. Bevel gears 13, 13, one rotating with bevel gear It) and the other fixed on the lower end of an upright shaft 14, act to drive the latter and a chain sprocket l5 fixed on its upper end. By means of an endless chain 16 trained around sprocket 15 and around a chain sprocket on the input shaft of a variable speed changer 17, the latter is able to drive an endless belt 18 at desired regulated speeds in direct relation to the rotary speed of the cylinder and dial of the knitting machine. The dial is driven in customary manner, not shown, to rotate with the needle cylinder. The belt 18, preferably circular in cross section, is trained around a suitably grooved pulley on the output shaft of speed changer 17 and around the outer sides of a plurality of suitably grooved pulleys 19 circumferentially equally spaced about the machine, each of the pulleys 19 having a depending yarn feeding roller Ztl associated therewith, said pulleys and rollers being of like or of unlike diameters, as may be desired. There may be a pulley l9 and roller 20 for each of the machine feeds and the belt '13 may be tensioned by suitably placed idler rollers, not shown.

The machine is provided with four equally spaced uprights 21 set in its base to support a yoke 22 at their upper ends. The yoke in turn supports a central upright rod 23 to which is secured an intermediate yarn guide ring 24 and an upper ring 25' having conventional stop motion devices therein, the stop motions having radially extending arms 26 associated therewith. Yarns Y are trained over the arms 26 and the stop motion devices are operative to stop the machine when there is an excess of yarn tension which causes the arms 26 to dip and when the yarns run out which causes the arms 26 to rise. Below yoke 22 there is an annular ring 27 which sur rounds and is suitably supported by the uprights 21. Below ring 27, in the present arrangement, there is an annular air ring or tube 28 which also surrounds and is suitably supported by the uprights 21 by means of arms 29 secured thereto. A plate 30, secured to one pair of up rights 21, FIG. 2, provides a base support for speed changer '17, While an extension 31 of the plate 30 provides a bearing support for the upper end of shaft 14. A series of circumferentially spaced radially extending arms 32, fastened at their inner ends to the upper face of ring 27, provides supports at their outer ends for yarn cones '33. A similarly disposed series of arms 34, fastened at 3 their inner ends to the lower face of ring 27, provides supports at their outer ends for the pulleys l9 and their rollers 21 As in FIGS. 3 and 4, each roller 25) is suitably centrally apertured to rotate about a vertically extending shouldered and headed spindle 35 secured to an arm 34- and each roller may be covered with any suitable type of friction material 36 to prevent yarn slippage thereover. A bent arm 37 has a horizontal end thereof suitably apertured for said spindle 35 and is anchored between the spindle shoulder and arm 34- while its other end extends vertically alongside roller and provides suitable yarn guiding apertures therein through which yarn Y travels, the yarn Y being trained around the outer peripher of the fricton material 36. The rotation of rollers 29 thus feeds the yarns Y at their peripheral speeds in direct relation to the speed of the machine. As in FIG. 1, each yarn Y travels from its cone 3?; upwardly over a stop motion arm 26, then downwardly through a suitable guide in ring 24, continuing through guide 3'7, then around a feed roller 2% then once again through guide 57, then through a suitable guide in air ring 23 and thence to the cylinder and dial to be knit by the needles therein. The action of rollers 20 provides a positive and uniform rate of feed for all of the yarns furnished to the machine, the speed of which is predetermined in relation to the speed of the machine to provide the proper amount of yarn needed by the machine to knit a particular fabric.

The air ube 28 is preferably provided with a series of circumferentially spaced yarn guides 38 extending diametrically therethrough, these guides being disposed so that one of their ends is suitably secured to the wall of the tubing at one side thereof in air tight relationship, as by brazing, while their other ends project freely through enlarged circular openings formed in the opposite wall of the tubing. The openings 39, of larger diameter than that of the guides 38, permit air to flow from inside the tube outwardly thereof around the guides 38, the air being introduced under suitable pressure into the tube through a suitable stub connector id. Preferably the flow of air is continuous while the machine is in normal operation and its pressure need only be sufiicient to prevent movement of slack yarn backwardly through the guides 38. The action of the air is such that should any slack develop in the yarns on the discharge side of the positive feeding means (of the type shown here or of any other type), it will tension the yarn sufiiciently to keep such slack on the discharge side of the tube 28. In the absence of such action on the slack yarns there is a tendency for the latter to cling to the surface of rollers 20 to be rotated therewith and to become entangled thereon to interrupt the yarn feeding which may then lead to yarn breakage and machine damage. While the air tube 28 has been shown with a roller type of positive yarn feed, it is equally effective with other types thereof, particularly the so-called tape types of positive yarn feeding devices, one such being shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 while another is shown in the Rosen U.S, Patent No. 3,090,215. In the tape feeders the slack yarns tend to undesirably travel with the tape around the machine, resulting in yarn breakage.

While FIGS. 3 and 4 show a single yarn Y being fed by a roller 29, it is within the scope of the present invention to use each roller to feed a plurality of yarns. As in FIG. 5, a yarn Y and Y1 are suitably trained over a roller in spaced relation from generally opposite directions and are fed thereby, the yarns passing through a pair of suitably angularly positioned guide arms 57.

Another form of positive yarn feeding means is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the change over the first form generally consisting in providing an endless belt 41 encircling and moving with each adjacent pair of rollers Z ll. Rollers 20 may have the friction material 35 remain thereon or it may be removed therefrom before placing the belts 41 thereover. The belt 41 may be of any suitable friction or non-friction material depending upon the materiai of rollers 2t) and upon the use of the friction material 36. The arms 37 positioned to extend downwardly inside belt 41. so that yarns Y may be guided to be fed between the inner face of belt 41 and the outer faces of the rollers 29. On the left hand side of FIG. 8, the left hand yarn Y enters between belt 41 and roller 29 on the outer side of the latter nearest drive belt 27 While on the right hand side of FIG. 8 the right hand yarn Y enters between belt 41 and roller 20 on the inner side of the latter remote from drive belt 27 so that both yarns are fed in the same direction. it should be noted that with the use of belt 41 that the yarns Y are in driven contact with the belt and the roller 2t) for a considerable linear distance during which there can be practically no yarn slipppage.

The combination of the air tube or ring (or its equivalent construction) with a positive yarn feeding means has several advantages. During the time that the yarn speed is being adjusted it prevents entanglements due to excessive yarn slack. During regular knitting should a number of needles fail to take the normal amount of yarn being fed, the excess yarn will be kept from causing any damage. Furthermore it will permit the machine to be threaded differently to provide a more efficient operation thereof by reducing the machine down time due to yarn drag on their cones. The normal threading is shown in FIG. 1 wherein the yarn travels from cone 33 to and over stop motion arm 26 and then to the positive yarn feeding means, the latter thus acting to draw yarn from the cones through the overhead stop motion. It frequently happens that the yarn will cling to the cone to such an extent that excess yarn tension will trip arm as to stop the machine and require operator attention to re-start the same. This can be very annoying and time consuming and there is little that can be done to correct this situation. It has been suggested that the yarn feeding means act to draw off the yarn direcly from the cones (to overcome the yarn drag) and that it then pass over the overhead stop motion arms 26 on its way to the needles.

This reverse threading has been schematically shown in FIG. 9 with the addition thereto of the air tube 28. However, without the action of the air from the tube 28, when the yarn comes off arm 26, for any reason, considerable yarn slack will be present and this will result in undesirable yarn entanglement in the yarn feeding means. Now, with the arrangement as shown in FIG. 9 includ ing the air ring, the slack resulting when the yarn comes off the arm 26 will be blown upwardly by the air and thus be safely kept out of the yarn feeding means until and after the machine comes to a stop. It will be understood that the air ring may be located as required with respect to the yarn feeding means, below as in FIGS. 1 and 2 where the air moves downwardly with the yarn and in reverse position above in FIG. 9 where the air moves upwardly with the yarn, so long as the air directs the yarns away from the discharge sides of the yarn feeding means. If desired, similarly acting air means may be disposed on the input side of the yarn feeding means to keep yarns from entering the latter in a slack condition.

Unitary air controlling means, useful in place of air ring 28, is shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 wherein one or more of the same is adapted to be attached directly to each of the spaced members 37, the latter being angularly adjustable about the reduced diameter threaded end of shouldered spindle 35 which extends through suitable apertures in 37 and arm 34 and holds 37 in place between the spindle shoulder and arm 34 when the spindle nut 42 is tightened thereon. The depending portion of 37 is provided with an enlarged aperture, replacing one of its yarn guide apertures, through the inner side of which a headed yarn tube 43 extends in threaded engagement with an air tube 44 disposed on the outer side of 37. The head 45, which may be hexagon shaped, is held against the inner face of 37 while the air tube 44 is held against its outer face.

The projecting portion of air tube 44, preferably having its apertures off center, is bored out at 46 to provide an opening of larger diameter than that of tube 43 which extends therethrough. Thus the outer periphery of 43 is spaced from the inner periphery of 46 as shown at 47. A piece of small diameter tubing 48 is suitably secured to and extends through the wall of 44 at the thickest portion thereof adjacent the bottom of bore 46, this tubing providing means to introduce air under pressure at the bottom of bore 46 so that it may flow outwardly of opening 47 around yarn tube 43. The action of the air on yarn Y, moving in the direction shown by the arrow, has been explained. While a convenient manner of securing an individual air unit to each member 37 has been set forth it will be understood that the units may be otherwise attached to the members 37. Porcelain guides may be inserted at the ends of the tubes 43 if desired, according to the usual practise.

A number of circumferentially spaced units as shown in FIG. may be interconnected by the means shown in FIG. 11 wherein a length of preferably flexible plastic tubing 49 connects tube 48 to one arm of a T-shaped tubular member 50 while lengths of similar plastic tubing 51, 51 connect the other arms of member 50 to similar arms of adjacent T-shaped members which, in turn, are similarly connected to tubes 48 of adjacent air control units. Air may be introduced into the circle of interconnected members at any convenient place.

There is a tendency for the yarns to cling to the inner face of belt 41 and to the outer face of friction material 36 and if this is not counteracted the yarns will travel with the belt and with the rollers. Normally, the machine, when functioning properly will provide sufficient tension on the yarns to overcome such clinging tendency thereof. When such tension fails the yarns become slack and, without the present invention, would have an undesirable retrograde movement into the discharge sides of the yarn feeding means as the yarns cling to and move with the belt and the rollers. While the secondary yarn tension provided by the air is much less than the primary tension normally provided by the machine, still it is sufiicient to prevent retrograde yarn movement when the primary tension ceases. While the main drive belt 18 has been shown as circular in cross section, it will be apparent that flat or other shaped belts, with suitably shaped pulleys, may be used to drive the rollers which are preferably of cylindrical shape. It may be noted that the yarn furnishing of the present invention is positive and does not interfere in any way with the driving action of the belt 18 on the pulleys 19.

I claim:

1. In a multi-feed rotary circular knitting machine having yarn feeding apparatus to draw a plurality of yarns from a plurality of cones thereof and to furnish the same to the needles of said machine for consumption by the latter wherein each of said yarns is normally under primary tension along its path of travel from said apparatus to said needles, said primary tension in said yarns being caused by a difference in the rate at which they are normally furnished by said apparatus in relation to the rate at which they are normally consumed by said machine, said apparatus being of the type wherein each yarn fed therefrom should have not less than a certain minimum tension therein in order to prevent undesirable back-feeding thereof into said apparatus, the amount of said primary tension normally being not less than the amount of said minimum tension whereby said apparatus may function normally without the back-feeding of yarn thereinto, the arrangement being such that in the event the relative rate of consumption of each of said yarns by said machine should become suificiently reduced in relation to the rate at which it is furnished by said apparatus that then the amount of tension therein will be reduced to less than the amount of said minimum tension, the combination therewith of an air stream acting upon each of said plurality of yarns along their said paths of travel from said apparatus to said machine to prevent back-feeding into said apparatus of those of said yarns in which the amount of tension along their said paths of travel should become less than the amount of said minimum tension, whereby said apparatus may function normally.

2. The combination with a multi-feed knitting machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said air stream is adapted to place those of said yarns under secondary tension as the amount of said primary tension therein becomes less than the amount of said minimum tension, the amount of said secondary tension being not less than the amount of said minimum tension, whereby back-feeding into said apparatus of said yarns under said secondary tension is prevented.

3. The combination with a multi-feed knitting machine as set forth in claim 2 wherein the amount of said primary tension is greater than the amount of said secondary tension which in turn is greater than the amount of said minimum tension.

4. The combination with a multi-feed knitting machine as set forth in claim 2 wherein said secondary tensioning means includes a plurality of tubes for said yarns to pass therethrough on their said paths of travel from said apparatus to said machine, each of said tubes being supported by said machine and operatively disposed in said air stream with at least one of said yarns passing through each one thereof.

5. The combination with a multi-feed knitting machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said yarn feeding apparatus comprises a plurality of vertically disposed cylindrically shaped rollers rotatably supported by and circumferentially spaced about said machine, wherein each of said rollers has a drive pulley operatively related thereto and has a common axis of rotation therewith, wherein a horizontally extending drive belt is driven by said machine in timed relation thereto and is trained over said pulleys to rotate the same and the said rollers associated therewith and wherein there is means to guide said yarns around and in driven contact with said rollers in vertically spaced relation to said drive belt whereby said yarns are drawn from said cones to be furnished under said primary tension to the needles of the said machine when said rollers are rotated.

6. In a yarn feeding device for a multi-feed rotary circular knitting machine to draw a plurality of yarns from a plurality of cones thereof to furnish the same to the needles of said machine at the feeds thereof, a plurality of vertically disposed cylindrically shaped rollers rotatably supported by and circumferentially spaced about said machine, a drive pulley operatively related to and having a common axis of rotation with each of said rollers, a horizontally extending drive belt driven by said machine in timed relation thereto and trained over said pulleys to rotate the same and the said rollers associated therewith and means to guide said yarns around said rollers in driven contact therewith in vertically spaced relation to said pulleys whereby said yarns are drawn from said cones and are furnished to the needles of said machine when said rollers are rotated.

7. In a yarn feeding device as set forth in claim 6 wherein a ring member is supported by said machine in circumferential relation thereto, wherein said pulleys and said rollers are supported from said ring member and wherein said drive belt and said pulleys are disposed at a level between the level of said ring member and the level of said rollers.

8. In a yarn feeding device as set forth in claim 7 wherein said pulleys and said rollers are of different diameters.

9. In a yarn feeding device as set forth in claim 6 wherein a ring member is supported by said machine in circumferential relation thereto, wherein a plurality of spaced arms are supported by said ring member in radially extending relation thereto, wherein said rollers and said pulleys are supported by said arms and wherein said drive belt and said pulleys are disposed at a level between the level of said arms and the level of said rollers.

10. In a yarn feeding device as set forth in claim 6 wherein a second horizontally extending belt is trained over an adjacent pair of said plurality of rollers in driven contact therewith and wherein means is provided to guide yarns between the inner face of said second belt 10 and the surfaces of said pair of said rollers.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS M. HENSON WOOD, JR., Primary Examiner.

R. A. SCHACHER, Assistant Examiner. 

